Hangar Door and Roof Assembly and Method of Use

ABSTRACT

A combination hangar door and roof assembly including a door section and a roof section that pivot relative to a roof of a hangar for opening and closing the hangar to allow the ingress and egress of an airplane or other object.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. provisional patent applicationNo. 61/184,131 filed on Jun. 4, 2009 under 35 U.S.C. 119(e). U.S.provisional patent application No. 61/184,131 is hereby incorporated byreference as though set forth in full.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates, in general, to building door assemblies,and, in particular, to hangar door assemblies.

2. Related Art

Agricultural, aviation, commercial buildings and the like generallyrequire a large opening for accommodating trucks, tractors, airplanes,large farm equipment (e.g. combines), large industrial equipment, andothers, through such opening. Numerous door members have been devisedfor these large buildings to accommodate this need. The types of doormembers developed in the past generally require a larger opening than isrequired to accommodate the door members, thus reducing the overallavailable vertical height of the building opening that can be providedfor a given limited area of space or land.

SUMMARY

An aspect of the invention involves a hangar door/roof assemblyincluding a door and roof combination that pivots relative to a roof ofa hangar for opening and closing the hangar to allow the ingress andegress of an airplane and/or other vehicle/object.

Another aspect of the invention involves a door assembly for a buildingincluding a support structure, walls, and a roof. The door assemblyincludes a combination hangar door and roof assembly pivotablycoupleable to the support structure for opening and closing the buildingto allow the ingress and egress of an object. The combination hangardoor and roof assembly is a door that forms at least part of the roof.

One or more implementations of the aspect of the invention describedimmediately above may include one or more of the following: the buildingincludes a pitched roof and the combination hangar door and roofassembly includes a roof section to form at least part of, and be flushwith, the roof; one or more hinges pivotably couple the combinationhangar door and roof assembly to the support structure; one or morehydraulic cylinder mechanisms operably couple the combination hangardoor and roof assembly and the support structure for opening and closingthe combination hangar door and roof assembly; the roof includes a crestand an edge, and the combination hangar door and roof assembly ispivotably coupleable to the support structure at any distance from thecrest to the edge where the combination hangar door and roof assembly isa door that forms one of at least part of the roof and all the roof; theroof is a pitched roof, and the combination hangar door and roofassembly includes a roof section and an end section, the roof section toform part of the pitched roof and the end section to form an end wallwhen the combination hangar door and roof assembly is in a closedcondition; the roof section and the end section include skinningmaterial; the combination hangar door and roof assembly is one of morethan one combination hangar door and roof assembly for the building; thebuilding includes opposite ends and the combination hangar door and roofassembly is one of a pair of combination hangar door and roof assembliesto face in opposite directions and are pivotably coupleable to thesupport structure for opening and closing the building at the oppositeends to allow the ingress and egress of an object; the building includesan end and the combination hangar door and roof assembly is a singlecombination hangar door and roof assembly that is pivotably coupleableto the support structure for opening and closing the building at the endto allow the ingress and egress of an object; a method of using a doorassembly with a building including a support structure, walls, and aroof, the comprising pivoting the combination hangar door and roofassembly relative to the support structure of the building so that atleast part of the roof raises to open the building to allow the egressof an object; and egressing the object out of the building through anopening created by the raised combination hangar door and roof assembly;and/or pivoting the combination hangar door and roof assembly relativeto the support structure of the building so that at least part of theroof lowers to close the building.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become morereadily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art after reviewingthe following detailed description and accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The details of the present invention, both as to its structure andoperation, may be gleaned in part by study of the accompanying drawings,in which like reference numerals refer to like parts, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of an embodiment of a hangar includinga movable hangar door/roof assembly shown in a closed position, and aportion of a side wall of the hangar is partially removed to show anairplane in the hangar;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the hangar of FIG. 1, and shows themovable hangar door/roof assembly shown in a raised position to allowthe allow the ingress and egress of the airplane;

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the hangar of FIG. 1 and shows themovable hangar door/roof assembly shown in a closed position, similar toFIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of the hangar of FIG. 1 and shows themovable hangar door/roof assembly shown in an open position, similar toFIGS. 2; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a hangar, withmultiple hangars shown side by side, including a movable hangardoor/roof assembly shown in a raised position to allow the allow theingress and egress of the airplane.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

With reference to FIGS. 1-4, an embodiment of a hanger building 100including a pair of movable hangar door/roof assemblies 110 will bedescribed. Although the building 100 will be shown and described as ahangar including an airplane therein, in alternative embodiments, thebuilding 100 may be, for example, but not by way of limitation, ahangar, a barn, a factory, and other large structures. Further, thevehicle/equipment inside may be, for example, but not by way oflimitation, a truck, a tractor, an airplane, large farm equipment (e.g.combine), or other vehicle/equipment.

The hangar 100 generally includes a support/frame structure with sidewalls 120 and a pitched roof 140 attached thereto. The hangar door/roofassemblies 110 are pivotally connected to the hangar 100 at overheadhinges 150 for moving the hangar door/roof assembly 110 between a closedposition (FIGS. 1, 3) and an open position (FIGS. 2, 4). Although a pairof hangar door/roof assemblies 110 are shown/described, in alternativeembodiments, the hangar building may include other numbers (e.g., 1, 3,4, etc) of hangar door/roof assemblies 110. The hinges 150 are disposedalong an edge 160 of a roof section 170, 190 of the roof 140. The hangardoor/roof assemblies 110 are on opposite ends of the roof 140 and thehangar 100, facing in opposite directions. Accordingly, the length ofthe front roof section 170 is the same as the length of a rear roofsection 190. Although the hinges 150 are shown as being located downfrom the crest/ridgeline 180, approximately ⅓ the distance between fromthe crest 180 and edge 210, in alternative embodiments, the hinges 150are disposed at an alternative location, such as, but not limited to, 1)between a mid-point between the crest 180 and edge 210, and the crest180, 2) at the crest 180, 3) near (i.e., substantially at) the crest180, and 4) at any point between the crest 180, and edge 210.

A pair of hydraulic cylinder mechanisms 220 are mounted at the top ofopposite side walls 120 with mounting brackets 230 for imparting theforce required to open and close the hangar door/roof assemblies 110relative to the hangar 100. The hydraulic cylinder mechanisms 220 areconnected to the hangar door/roof assembly 110 at lower mounting points240 along a lower portion of roof section 250 of hangar door/roofassembly 110. Each hydraulic cylinder mechanism 220 includes a cylinderram that moves in and out of a hydraulic cylinder for opening andclosing the hangar door/roof assembly 110.

The hangar door/roof assemblies 110 include a support/frame structureand tin or other “skinning” materials for covering the support/framestructure to form roof section 250 and end section 260. The end section260 is angled relative to the roof section 250 so that when the hangardoor/roof assembly 110 is closed, as shown in FIG. 1, the end section260 forms an end wall 130 and the roof section 250 forms part of pitchedroof 140. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the end section 260 may include adoorway/door 270 that one may use to enter and exit the hangar 100 whenthe hangar door/roof assembly 110 is closed. In alternative embodiments,the end section 260 may include one or more doors of the same ordifferent sizes/configurations to facilitate ingress/egress of differentobjects (e.g. pedestrians, vehicles, equipment) while the hangardoor/roof assembly 110 is closed. The hangar door/roof assembly 110includes a bottom edge 280 along a bottom of the hangar door/roofassembly 110.

In use, the hangar door/roof assembly 110 is opened to the positionshown in FIGS. 2, 4 for egress and ingress of an airplane and/or othervehicle/object. In this position, the bottom edge 280 of the hangardoor/roof assembly 110 is raised to a high-enough position so that thehighest point of the airplane (e.g., top of tail) clears the bottom edge280 of the hangar door/roof assembly 110.

To raise the hangar door/roof assembly 110, the hydraulic cylindermechanisms 220 are actuated to cause the cylinder rams to move outwardlyfrom the hydraulic cylinders. The extension of the cylinder rams forcesthe hangar door/roof assembly 110 upwardly, with the hangar door/roofassembly 110 pivoting upwardly at the hinges 150. With the hangardoor/roof assembly 110 raised, as shown in FIGS. 2, 4, the plane caneasily enter and exit the hangar 100 without contacting the hangardoor/roof assembly 110.

To lower the hangar door/roof assembly 110, the hydraulic cylindermechanisms 220 are actuated to cause the cylinder rams to retract intothe hydraulic cylinders. The retraction of the cylinder rams forces thehangar door/roof assembly 110 downwardly, with the hangar door/roofassembly 110 pivoting downwardly at the hinges 150. With the hangardoor/roof assembly 110 closed, as shown in FIGS. 1, 3, the plane andinside of the hangar 100 are protected from the environment. It shouldbe noted that weather-tight resilient seals (e.g., compressed foam seal)may be disposed along edges of the hangar door/roof assembly 110 and thehangar 100 (where the two come together).

With reference to FIG. 5, which shows multiple hangars 100 a side byside, another embodiment of a hangar 100 a including a movable hangardoor/roof assembly 110 a will be described. The hangar 100 a isgenerally similar to hangar 100 (similar/same elements will not bedescribed and/or will be referenced with like reference numbers, butwith “a” suffix), except the hangar 100 a has aconstruction/configuration that is ½ the construction/configurationhangar 100 shown in FIGS. 1-4, and the hangar 100 a includes a hangardoor/roof assembly 110 a that is hinged at or near a crest/ridgeline 180a instead of hinged 1/3 the distance from crest/ridgeline 180 to edge160 as shown in FIGS. 1-4. In alternative embodiments, the hangardoor/roof assembly 110 a of the hangar 100 a includes any portion of theroof 140 a and includes hinge distances from the crest/ridgeline 180 aother than those shown.

The hangar 100, 100 a is advantageous in that the hangar 100, 100 a usesless space than a traditional T hangar, the hangar 100, 100 a uses lesssteel than a traditional T hangar, and the hangar 100, 100 a has a lowerprofile than a traditional T hangar.

The above figures may depict exemplary configurations for the invention,which is done to aid in understanding the features and functionalitythat can be included in the invention. The invention is not restrictedto the illustrated architectures or configurations, but can beimplemented using a variety of alternative architectures andconfigurations. Additionally, although the invention is described abovein terms of various exemplary embodiments and implementations, it shouldbe understood that the various features and functionality described inone or more of the individual embodiments can be applied, alone or insome combination, to one or more of the other embodiments of theinvention, whether or not such embodiments are described and whether ornot such features are presented as being a part of a describedembodiment. Thus the breadth and scope of the present invention,especially in any following claims, should not be limited by any of theabove-described exemplary embodiments.

Terms and phrases used in this document, and variations thereof, unlessotherwise expressly stated, should be construed as open ended as opposedto limiting. As examples of the foregoing: the term “including” shouldbe read as mean “including, without limitation” or the like; the term“example” is used to provide exemplary instances of the item indiscussion, not an exhaustive or limiting list thereof; and adjectivessuch as “conventional,” “traditional,” “standard,” “known” and terms ofsimilar meaning should not be construed as limiting the item describedto a given time period or to an item available as of a given time, butinstead should be read to encompass conventional, traditional, normal,or standard technologies that may be available or known now or at anytime in the future. Likewise, a group of items linked with theconjunction “and” should not be read as requiring that each and everyone of those items be present in the grouping, but rather should be readas “and/or” unless expressly stated otherwise. Similarly, a group ofitems linked with the conjunction “or” should not be read as requiringmutual exclusivity among that group, but rather should also be read as“and/or” unless expressly stated otherwise. Furthermore, although item,elements or components of the disclosure may be described or claimed inthe singular, the plural is contemplated to be within the scope thereofunless limitation to the singular is explicitly stated. The presence ofbroadening words and phrases such as “one or more,” “at least,” “but notlimited to” or other like phrases in some instances shall not be read tomean that the narrower case is intended or required in instances wheresuch broadening phrases may be absent.

1. A door assembly for a building including a support structure, walls,and a roof, comprising: a combination hangar door and roof assemblypivotably coupleable to the support structure for opening and closingthe building to allow the ingress and egress of an object, wherein thecombination hangar door and roof assembly is a door that forms at leastpart of the roof.
 2. The door assembly of claim 1, wherein the buildingincludes a pitched roof and the combination hangar door and roofassembly includes a roof section to form at least part of, and be flushwith, the roof.
 3. The door assembly of claim 1, further including oneor more hinges to pivotably coupleable to the combination hangar doorand roof assembly to the support structure.
 4. The door assembly ofclaim 1, further including one or more hydraulic cylinder mechanismsoperably coupleable to the combination hangar door and roof assembly andthe support structure for opening and closing the combination hangardoor and roof assembly.
 5. The door assembly of claim 1, wherein theroof includes a crest and an edge, and the combination hangar door androof assembly is pivotably coupleable to the support structure at anydistance from the crest to the edge where the combination hangar doorand roof assembly is a door that forms one of at least part of the roofand all the roof.
 6. The door assembly of claim 1, wherein the roof is apitched roof, and the combination hangar door and roof assembly includesa roof section and an end section, the roof section to form part of thepitched roof and the end section to form an end wall when thecombination hangar door and roof assembly is in a closed condition. 7.The door assembly of claim 1, wherein the roof section and the endsection include skinning material.
 8. The door assembly of claim 1,wherein the combination hangar door and roof assembly is one of morethan one combination hangar door and roof assembly for the building. 9.The door assembly of claim 1, wherein the building includes oppositeends and the combination hangar door and roof assembly is one of a pairof combination hangar door and roof assemblies to face in oppositedirections and are pivotably coupleable to the support structure foropening and closing the building at the opposite ends to allow theingress and egress of an object.
 10. The door assembly of claim 1,wherein the building includes an end and the combination hangar door androof assembly is a single combination hangar door and roof assembly thatis pivotably coupleable to the support structure for opening and closingthe building at the end to allow the ingress and egress of an object.11. A method of using a door assembly with a building including asupport structure, walls, and a roof, comprising: pivoting thecombination hangar door and roof assembly of claim 1 relative to thesupport structure of the building so that at least part of the roofraises to open the building to allow the egress of an object; andegressing the object out of the building through an opening created bythe raised combination hangar door and roof assembly.
 12. The method ofclaim 1, further including pivoting the combination hangar door and roofassembly relative to the support structure of the building so that atleast part of the roof lowers to close the building.